Hanging by a Thread
by Naiae
Summary: As old enemies arise and hearts are broken, Rose Weasley is forced into a battle between true love and saving herself - but Scorpius will do anything to protect her, at any cost, even as tragedy rips their worlds apart. Rose/Scorpius - Voldemort
1. Chapter 1 : Gone

"Hey."

Scorpius slides his arm around Rose's waist, tucking her into an embrace.  
He feels her body relax, and he lets himself breathe in her scent – peach and apple and sunlight and lavender. Warmth. But she straightens up and pulls away, her arms clutched to her sides, her scarlet curls rushing forwards to frame her face, hiding her from his view  
"..Rose. What's wrong?"

She looks up at him, her hazel eyes open, wide. Pleading.  
"Scorpius..." She opens her mouth, staring into his blue-gray ones, wanting to speak. "We can't be together. I don't…it's not working out." Her lips tremble, and suddenly, she can't meet his eyes anymore. "I don't love you. I never did. Just…leave me alone. Don't come near me again. Just go away!"  
She looks down, as Scorpius, stung (no pun intended), slowly turns and walks away. She looks down, letting her hair swing in front of her face, this time not hiding her face, but a broken heart.

She doesn't notice Scorpius standing less than a corridor away from her, watching her face carefully. He's not sure if it's real or if it's just flat out denial, but he knows a lie when he sees one. And she's lying. He loves her, dammit. And he knows she loves him, too.

_3 years doesn't go down the drain _that _fast, _he thinks, and he lifts his head, preparing to show the world why exactly he remains the first Malfoy to be sorted into Gryffindor.

"Rose," he says, more harshly than he means to.

She looks up slowly, and he can tell she's been crying. All the words he's prepared stick in his throat, and instead, he grasps her upper arm, gently pulling her out of the Great Hall.

"I told you," she whispers shakily, tears pooling in her eyes. "Leave me alone." She tugs at his grip, so lightly that he can't even tell if she's trying or not. He grabs her by the shoulders, anger rising in him.

"Rose, cut the shit," he tells her softly, staring directly into her eyes. "I love you. What happened to that?" The pain in his own voice is evident, vulnerable as his words hang in the air between them.  
At his words, she collapses. Her legs give out underneath her, the tears flowing freely down her face. Her eyes are closed, her eyelashes thick and full and wet against her face. Her hair tumbles around her as he catches her, her head gently lolling to the side, her body shaking softly. Before he can think twice, tears run in rivulets down her cheeks, and she shivers, even though it's warm outside. He holds her on his knees, her head pressed against his chest, neither of them saying a word. And she breaks. She clings onto him desperately, her sobs breaking against his chest, her fingers entwined in his jet black hair.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she cries, trembling against him. And she kisses him, full on the mouth. Nothing new, for them. But he can taste the salt on her lips and the unrefined desperation in the way that she needs him, the feeling that time's running out.

A sudden crash, and he breaks away from the kiss. What he sees makes him draw back, his heart skipping a beat in spite of himself. In plain script, the opposite wall writes "SCORPIUS. 1:00 AM. COMMON ROOM." In blood.

Rose screams, and flails out with her arms. Fear kicks into overdrive, and Scorpius grabs onto her, trying to calm her down.

"_Scorpius, _please please _please, _you can't go, you can't you can't please _please _don't go! I'll do anything, please, just don't go."

"Rose, Rose, it's okay, it's nothing. Someone's pulling a practical joke. It's nothing. Please don't worry."

She throws off his reassuring hand, her eyes already filling again.

"You don't _understand,_" she cries, her screams echoing off the walls, "he'll hurt you, he'll try to. Oh God, Scorpius, just don't go. Promise me you won't."

But the bells tolls, ending dinner. People rush out of the Great Hall, not even noticing them. Scorpius straightens up and helps Rose to her feet. She shouts to him, but her words are lost in the din. Grasping her hand, he leads her to the common room, noticing, deep within his heart, that the words that had marked the wall in elaborate, blood-red letters…are gone.


	2. Chapter 2 : Unmoving

The floor creaks underneath his bare feet. His wand, 10 inches of pure hawthorn, bounces in his hand, with every deliberate step. A dim fire is nestled in the corner, lighting the common room in an eerie haze. It's empty.

"Hello…?" he calls out quietly, his voice almost lost in the beckoning silence.

"Oh, Scorpius, Scorpius.. I thought you would come tonight."

The voice is low and purring, seductive and at the same time, the most frightening thing he's heard in his life. Scorpius whirls around, his muscles tense, his fingers clenched tight around his wand. The voice laughs, almost scornfully.

"Don't think you can fight me," it hisses. "Unless you want to see your Rose again, of course. Bigger and better have tried – and failed."

"Where are you?!" Scorpius shouts, trembling. _Rose._ "WHERE ARE YOU?!" he screams, brokenly, his voice cracking. "What did you do with Rose?! Where is she? WHERE IS SHE?!" But the voice never responds. Silence floods the room again, tactile and bittersweet. And as Scorpius falls to his knees, the voice speaks again, so softly he isn't sure if he's hearing it or not.

"I told you. Once you're in this far, it's all or nothing. You chose him over me. One more chance, Rosie…"

Words that dance on the tip of his tongue, words that are not meant for him. Suddenly, the portrait hole opens, light flitting through the opening. Professor Parvati strides in, her face pinched.

"Malfoy, what in the world is .."

But the words are cut off. Because lying directly in the light is Rose Weasley's crumpled body, facedown on the carpet, unmoving.

Scorpius hears a scream, piercing the tension, vulnerable.

And it's only until he's led off into Professor McGonagall's study, his heart melted to rock, that he realizes that the scream belonged to him.


	3. Chapter 3 : Ashes

Professor McGonagall's study is, blissfully, empty. Scorpius sits, unmoving, on the leather armchair, watching the golden, crimson feathered bird perched in the cage. In its eyes, he sees decades of sadness, of tragedy, lifetimes of experience. And before his eyes, the bird bursts into flame, ashes trailing down pathetically.

Scorpius starts, making his way to the cage, as Professor McGonagall walks in. Uncanny timing.

"Professor – I, I…I was just sitting there and it.."

But to his dismay, Professor McGonagall smiles. The portrait behind her, of Albus Dumbledore, laughs, his eyes twinkling.

"About time, too, Fawkes," she says serenely, to the pile of ashes. "Scorpius, Fawkes is a phoenix. When he grows old, he will burst into flames – and from the pile of ashes, rebirth itself. It really is a marvelous cycle."

Scorpius, stunned into silence, just stares. McGonagall makes her way to her desk and sinks into her chair slowly, as though it hurts to sit down.

_She's old, _he realizes, his eyes tracing the wrinkles. He wonders what kind of grandmother she would be, what kind of grandmother he had. Father didn't talk about her much. He wonders if every wrinkle tells a story, from long ago.

McGonagall sighs, and Scorpius remembers where he is.

"Wait – is Rose okay?" he asks, anxiously.

McGonagall peers at him through her glasses. "I expect Ms. Weasley to make a full recovery. She'll have to remain in the Hospital Wing for a little longer, but she'll be fine." She watches as Scorpius's face transforms, a thousand times lighter. "Biscuit, Mr. Malfoy?"

She holds out a can of biscuits, and gingerly, he takes one, nodding his head in thanks.

"How's Draco been?" she asks him, carefully leaning back in her seat. "And Asteria? I hope she's doing well."

Scorpius nods again. "They're both well. Father's rather busy, but it's normal. Same old, same old."

McGonagall nods, stifling a yawn. "Well Mr. Malfoy, I believe it's time to get some sleep." She stands up stiffly, stretching out her limbs.

"Wait…" he pauses. "Aren't you going to …ask me what happened?"

McGonagall shakes her head, looking years older. "No, Scorpius." She opens her mouth, as if to say more, but closes it. "Not tonight, at least." He knows that's his cue to leave. He makes his way to the door, sleep already pushing. Yet as the door closes behind him, he sees a fleeting glance of McGonagall, standing underneath Albus Dumbledore's portrait, her expression unreadable.

****

"Where have you been?" Chris Longbottom says, yawning into his palm.

"Oh…just…not tired," Scorpius says, as he flattens the comforter around himself. He rolls away from Chris, and pretends to sleep. The moon basks around him, lighting up his face softly, thousands of miles away – yet so close.

_Rose, _he thinks to himself, as simple as that, as his eyes finally drift shut.


	4. Chapter 4 : Betrayal

Scorpius gingerly sits down beside her bed, and as Madame Delsanter walks away, brushes Rose's hair away from her face. Washed of color, pale, she lies underneath the covers, looking more dead than alive. Yet the rise and fall of her chest is enough to keep him going. He lowers her head to her chest, feeling her thin heartbeat echo to him. But as Scorpius picks up her hand and holds it in both of his, what he doesn't know is that she's a thousand miles away, lost and drowning in her own dreams.

_Well well well. A Weasley. What have we got here? _

_Rose feels her chin rise up defiantly, and she crosses her arms. _

_"So kill me," she challenges, feeling, again, the absence of her own empty heart. It laughs. _

_"I think you'll turn out useful, Rose Weasley. Interesting. You do know that now you're here, there's no turning back?"_

_Rose looks directly into the slits of eyes, the skin stretched taunt. _

_"I know," she says, unwavering. After all, what is there to turn back for? Expectations, high over her head? Parents who love the person they've imagined, and not her? A man who can't seem to love her back – a man who she can't seem to stop loving? She'd throw all that away in an instant – and after all, it's what she's doing now, right? _

_The voice hisses, and she turns back._

_"Scorpius Malfoy. As long as it takes, whatever it takes," it says, her cue to leave. She tells herself to breathe, clearing her mind as she feels it probing through. She wonders, faintly, how it knows exactly the one thing she cannot bear to give up. _

_But she remembers how he'd handed her heart back to her the previous night, the broken pieces broken even more, and left her to lick her own wounds. And she wonders, faintly, that this may not be so bad after all. _


	5. Chapter 5 : Security

_*** -continuation of Rose's dreams_

_That night, Rose falls asleep in front of the licking fire, basking in the warmth of the darkness. Scorpius watches her from the other armchair, the even rise and fall of her chest. _

Voldemort's hunting you_, he reminds himself, his father's own words spoken. _You'll put her in danger. _He remembers seeing his own frightened reflection in his father's steely gray eyes, trying not to believe it and knowing that he has no choice. He remembers hearing his father tell him that Voldemort will attack the people closest to him, one by one, until he's stripped of his life and love – until he's no more than Voldemort himself._

And the whole time, Scorpius cannot manage to choke out the one word stuck in his throat – why?

_He stares at Rose, knowing that what he did today was for the best, knowing that her broken heart will be better broken than not pulsing at all. _Stay away from her,_ he tells his heart._

_But she twitches in her sleep, her eyebrows creased in frustration. And when he feels like he can't bear it anymore, Scorpius carefully makes his way to where Rose lies, and adjusts her so that he's sitting beside her. Immediately, she stirs, and Scorpius freezes, both wanting and dreading to be caught where he is. But she goes still again, settling her arm around Scorpius's midsection, leaning on his shoulders. He can't help but absorb her scent, feeling her soft hair gliding over his bare arms, watching the dancing shadows of her eyelashes spindle across her cheeks, light as thistledown.  
"Scorpius," she whispers, still lost in sleep._

_She does this with the confidence that Scorpius is there, with the security that it's him. And holding Rose in his arms, Scorpius can't help but think about what will happen when he's no longer there to catch her.  
_


	6. Chapter 6 : Comfort

Author's Note:  
Superrrr short chapter (:  
Just for clarification && getting back into this story!  
Thanks for all the reviews, keep 'em going! :D

Next few chapters are gonna be pretty low-key, and centered around  
a very special (and Muggle) Hogwarts tradition (that i'm starting).  
P R O M. :] Up before tonight (June 1st)

The sunlight is overbearing. Encasing.

_To the light, Rose. Go._

_But something's pulling her back. She tries to go to the light. She does. But the hand wrapped around hers is preventing her. It's cold – ice cold, unrelenting. Let me go, she wants to scream, but there are no words. And she looks back, she looks back – into the eyes of Lord Voldemort. _

_"_Whoa, whoa there – it's okay, relax, Rose." She looks up into his deep blue-gray eyes, like marble. It takes her a second to realize that her chest is heaving, racketing sobs filling the room. She brokenly reaches up to her face, feeling wetness on her fingertips. Her heart feels weak, her legs shivering, yet she twists out of bed, into Scorpius's strong clutch.

"Shh," he whispers softly, into her ear, cradling her shoulders on his arm, smoothing her hair. "What happened?"

She looks up at him, her hazel eyes filled with tears. "I love you," she breathes, and tears begin falling into his shirt. He comforts her, holding her close, and it is only until hours later, kneeling over his Divination homework, that he realizes she never answered his question.


	7. Chapter 7 : Prom

Author's Note:  
Basically a filler chapter, nothing special :D  
**Uhh..I'm deciding whether to make this whole "Rose, dreaming" thing into a huge Voldemort/Scorpius/hospital wing deal, or to just pretend nothing happened & jump right to prom?  
Your help would be lovely (:  
**Anyway, I'm going to start introducing a few characters, making a small kind of group, you know?  
Cause as spectacular as Rose and Scorpius are, a life with just the two of them kinda gets old.

You know a few: Daniel Thomas; Lily Potter -to come? Albus Potter; James Potter --- & more.  
Adios for now! :D

"This Friday, Hogwarts is going to be hosting its first annual _Prom. _Now, this is something completely new that probably many of you have never heard of. It's a Muggle tradition for Muggles who are still in school," Professor Parvati explains. Scorpius traces over his Transfiguration binder, a heart with a simple calligraphic "R" in the corner. Professor Parvati smiles, her fingers lingering on her thick black hair, adorned with strips of gold, reminiscing.

"Professor Finnigan, our Muggle Studies professor, deemed it appropriate to host a Muggle tradition before the Muggle Studies final.

"All students 4th year and above are welcome to attend. Dresses _are _necessary, ladies, rather extravagant ones at that – and gentlemen, tuxedos are appropriate." (Author's Note: let's just assume that they can all _find _dresses, shall we? :D)

"And that concludes our time today – for homework, I want a 2 page length report on the risk of transforming an abiotic object to a biotic object. Class dismissed."

Rose walks back to her dorm, Lily Potter by her side.

"So, prom, huh?" Lily smiles, nudging Rose with her elbow.

"Haha, yeah. My mom's told me about it, I've heard it's a really big deal."

Lily nods, lost in thought, her fiery red hair ablaze.

"Dress shopping?" she suggests, her emerald eyes light with excitement.

"You know it," Rose grins, and they drop their books into their dorm. Rose lays down on her polka dotted comforter, her tiredness crashing down on her. Sleep is a welcomed friend, and she feels her eyes begin to shut.

"You go to dinner," she slurs, "I think I'm going to take a nap. Tell Scorpius…" But Rose's eyes drift shut, and her words fade into nothing.


	8. Chapter 8 : Unmistakable

Rose blinks awake, startled. She yawns, wide, patting down her hair.

Dinner should be over; sure enough, she hears the footsteps echoing from the Great Hall.

And then she hears it.  
"Rose."

It is, unmistakably, the low hiss of Lord Voldemort.

_Impossible to get into Hogwarts._

She shivers, snuggling back into her covers. Maybe she imagined it. Hopefully she imagined it.

* *********

"Don't be like that, Rose. A promise is a promise, and a promise is forever. You have a week – Scorpius Malfoy. Dead. Or you'll regret it."

A light casts in the corner of her empty room, darkened. The light turns a deep vermillion, sparkling and twisting like a jewel. Suddenly, the light turns black, still glinting off light. And right as the room opens and Lily, followed closely by Scorpius and Albus Potter (Scorpius's close friend) enters, the shimmering black light races towards Rose, and strikes her in the heart. It's cold, like ice flooding her body. She sees Scorpius start towards her, Lily turning on the lights – and she screams, a heart-wrenching sound. But she isn't hurt. She's just cold, so cold.

Tears form in her eyes, overfilling and flowing down her face. Shivering, she reaches towards Scorpius, clinging to his neck, as he helps her to her feet. And then –

"Oh my God." Scorpius jerks, his grasp around Rose tightening. The cold grows, if possible, even colder, and it feels as if she's numb. Albus's mouth rounds, his eyes glancing from the bed to Rose, and back. And Lily, Lily doesn't say anything. Automatically, Rose shifts in Scorpius's arms, despite him holding her back. And she sees, on her bed, the faint glimmer of a shadow – a shadow, a ghost, of _her. _Her eyes, wide open, her hand splayed across her chest, her body twisted. Unmistakably dead.

Rose feels herself sink to the floor, her eyes never once looking away from the bed. From faraway, she feels all three hands reaching for her, trying to pull her from where she is now, how she is now – sinking. Human instinct makes her cling to consciousness, but it would have been a blessed relief to let it go.

因为你我愿意说，只牵你的手  
就算世界有尽头，只牵你的手  
哪怕诱惑那么多，只牵你的手  
把我放在你心中，牵着我的手


	9. Chapter 9 : Conversation

**Before we get started here, I'd just like to clarify a few things.  
Italicized paragraphs (as in chapter 3 – I think?) were Rose's memories, sometimes Scorpius's. So, when Rose is sitting by the fire, that actually happened; when Scorpius's memories come along, that happened as well.**

* * * * * * *

"Up," Lily commands, softly but insistently.

Rose props herself up on her elbows, the dark shadows under her eyes even more prominent in the thin, straining sunlight. She blinks away the nightmares behind her eyelids, basking in the warmth. "It's Saturday," she mumbles, yawning.

"Exactly. Dress shopping. I owled your mum, she knows a few good Muggle stores we can find dresses at. Muggle prom or whatever, it's in five days. We're running out of time!"

Rose can't help but smile at Lily's enthusiasm, feeling herself begin to lighten up. She watches Lily fondly, as the latter rolls out of bed, drawing the curtains in the corner. Fiery red hair – both of them. _Cousins in blood, _she can't help thinking, _but sisters at heart._

Rose runs her fingers through her wet hair, wrapping a towel around her front. She can hear Lily's voice through the door, talking, as she pads, barefoot, out of the bathroom. Assuming it's Ashley (Brown, their other roommate), she walks out behind Lily.  
And standing right in front of her – Cousin James. His eyebrows disappear into his messy dark hair, and Rose blushes, pulling the towel tighter around her. Definitely. Not. Ashley.  
"James!" Rose grins, conversationally – though a bit louder than she would have in normal circumstance, though, admittedly, desperately overlooking that she's standing, we and naked in front of him with a towel wrapped around her.

"Rose, Rose – it's been too long. I think we're having you around for the Christmas holidays, we'll catch up at a better time then…"

Rose nods, splattering the rug with little drops of water, from her hair. Lily stands between them, nodding as well, though slightly sarcastically.

"Well James," she sighs, "You'll have to excuse us. See you later, big brother." James raises his hand to his brow, pretending to tip a hat.  
"Same to you, Lils. See you two at breakfast." And the door shuts.

"Thank God for puberty," Lily sighs, chancing a look at Rose, who's managed to…change into somewhat more decent clothes. "The James a few years ago would never have let you live that down…"


	10. Chapter 10 : Bloomingdales

**This chapter WILL continue shortly, mark my words :D  
But it's kinda 11:35 and i'm being paraded off to bed..  
Until tomorrow then (:  
-and sorry about the lack of all the fancy stuff (like the line right beneath this sentence) - I haven't really completely figured out fanfiction yet. :D**

**Next up: -in the next few chapters.**

_a question.  
an answer.  
a preparation.  
a dance.  
a tragedy. _

**

* * *

**

Lily rolls her eyes, turning to face Rose.

"Apparently," she starts, "they've brought Muggle stores to us. Great thing too, I was just about to ask McGonagall if we could get out of Diagon Alley. But apparently, just for this weekend, they've transformed it into a Muggle …something. James came up to bring the news."

Rose laughs, pointing her wand at her hair. A moment's pause, and it begins to dry itself. Lily wrinkles her nose, mock jealous.

"Still need to practice those nonverbals," she sighs, as Rose grabs her purse and they head towards the Great Hall.

* * * * *

Rose settles herself next to Scorpius, and Lily next to Albus.

"Merlin's _beard, _Albus, why do you always have to eat all the bloody biscuits!" Lily groans, as Rose begins to laugh. Scorpius cracks a smile – nothing they haven't heard before.

"I've got an extra one," a voice offers, and Lily looks up, into the celery green eyes of Brian Daniels. She blushes to the ends of her roots, smiling in thanks. Rose watches, curiously, as Brian holds Lily's gaze, winking before turning away.

"What was that all about," Scorpius whispers into Rose's ear, and she smiles slyly back at him.

"'We're going dress shopping. Want to tag along?" She changes the subject, simply because he just wouldn't understand. Albus and Scorpius exchange a look of horror.

"Er…transfiguration essay…due Monday…haven't started…" Albus stutters (though they all know he's lying, it's _Albus _they're talking about).

"Um…essence of surprise, right, Rose? I bet you'll look lovely," Scorpius continues, and Albus hurries out of the Great Hall, Scorpius right behind him

"Wusses," Lily snorts, and they set off for Diagon Alley.

"Bloom…ing…dales," Rose frowns, staring up at the grey building. The dresses are organized in color, and Lily steers Rose away from the pinks, shuddering.

"Mum had to try on a few pink dresses for Uncle Bill's wedding. Let's just say…it wasn't the prettiest thing. Red hair, and all," Lily explains, gesturing towards their scarlet red curls.

"Maybe I'll get black," Lily muses. "You know, the whole…demon theme?"

Rose nods in agreement, smiling devilishly. "And a plunging neckline for Daniels, how about it?"

Lily blushes again, mock angry. "When did I say I was going to prom with him?"

Rose shrugs, wrapping a lock of hair around her finger, grinning up at Lily coyly. "You never know," Rose says, and tries on a light green dress, which Lily declares makes her look like a watermelon. Rose laughs, throwing the dress, in a whirl of sparkles and frills, at Lily. Hours later, they leave Bloomingdales, twenty gallons poorer and two dresses richer.


	11. Chapter 11 : Flutter

**so much fun writing these few chapters :]  
haha, there's a bit of more adult stuff near the end, but not nearly as bad as you'd think.  
I do reply to all reviews, so the more the better! :D  
and if there are any suggestions about how you think the story should go, definitely tell me.**

****

something cool i've taken out of someone else's book:  
every 15th reviewer I get (which i'm not getting too many reviews so it shouldn't be too hard ;D )  
i'll write a one-shot for. their story, their characters, their plot.

**anyway. coming up:**

_a tragedy.  
anger.  
a fight.  
an unforgiveable curse.

* * *

_

"James…Hey, James!" Lily calls out, seeing her older brother as she and Rose walk back from Diagon Alley. He turns, nodding his head at the pair of them.

"Lily, Rose," he acknowledges, grinning.

"What are you doing here?" Lily asks, bemused.

"Getting a tuxedo or whatever it is. I asked Dad for one, but no…I have to be "responsible" and get one myself. As if I'm too daft to be able to get something myself," he sighs, lifting up the clothes as if in response.

"Hey …Lily? A word?" Rose and Lily both turn around, James staring straight forward. Brian Daniels. The silence breaks.

"Yeah, sure," Lily agrees, convincingly calm.

James stills imperceptibly as Brian leads Lily out of view.

"Something wrong?" Rose asks, and James shakes his head.

"It's just…Brian Daniels. He's a seventh year and – do you two even know him?"

Rose laughs. "From afar. You know, us fourth years," she explains, as James raises his eyebrows. "Oh…and he gave her a biscuit this morning." James rolls his eyes.

"Albus," he says, enough explanation for them both.

"So who're you taking to this…prom thing?" Rose asks, and she watches curiously as a flush works its way up James's neck. "Someone special, then," Rose teases.  
"Well…yes, you could say that…you'll see," James adds conspiratorially, as Lily comes running back.

"He asked me to the dance," she smiles, nervously, out of breath, and Rose hugs her, tightly.

James plasters a smile to his face, and ruffles Lily's hair affectionately.

"I guess it's not every day your little sister goes out with a guy a year older than you," he grins, "…but Lils, be careful. He's in seventh year, and he's got a lot of experience with girls."

Lily smiles. "Always the overprotective older brother."

"That's me," James laughs.

********************

_Fast forward a few days…_

"Okay. So let's go."

Victoire's joined them in the dorm, Uncle Bill and Aunt Fleur's daughter – their seventh year cousin.

"You know, you don't have to do this," Rose offers. "I don't know how much fun we can be, and we know this isn't the only place you can get ready."

Victoire smiles. "But what better place to get ready," she starts, pulling them both into an embrace, "than with my favorite cousins?"

Lily laughs. "God knows how many hearts you broke on the way. How many people asked you again, like twenty?"

"Must be the veela blood," Victoire muses, swinging her long, silvery-blonde hair teasingly.

"All we can say is…lucky Teddy," Rose giggles, as Victoire slips her own dress on, her back bared, pale against the light shade of pink fabric, the neckline gently sloping down to expose her collarbone.

Lily whistles through her teeth. "Damn, girl."

"Teddy might actually die," Rose adds.

"Very funny," Victoire says, as she waves her wand around her head, her hair magically parting and curling, gathering in the back of her head in an intricate bun. She looks in the mirror, frowning, and waves her wand once more. At once, two strands of hair separate themselves from the bun, and automatically curl, framing the side of her face.

"I'll do all our makeup later," she decides, as she waves her wand once more, and both Lily and Rose's dresses swoop out of their closets, laying themselves across the respective beds.

"Jesus, Victoire…how _do _you work your wand like that?" Lily grimaces, picking up her own dress.

"Doesn't look like Teddy's the only boy who might die tonight," Victoire comments, examining Lily's ebony black dress, corset tied in the back, strapless in front.

"And Scorpius looks like he might be in a spot of danger too," she adds, as Rose steps to the mirror, wearing a floaty snow-white sort of dress, settling to the middle of her thighs, the neckline curving in an arc. "What material is that?"

"No clue, but it feels nice," Rose grins, spinning around in a circle, the dress billowing out to her sides.

"So, hair," Victoire begins, grabbing the cousin closest to her. "How do you want it?"

"Uh…let's try a bun? Kind of like yours but…less poignant."

"Poignant," Victoire grins, as she mutters a spell and a yellow light encircles itself around Lily's head, and the bun begins to weave in and out of itself, finally circling once around the back of her head. A lock of hair falls out, too short to be tied up.

"See, why couldn't my hair do that?" Victoire sighs, grumpily, as she motions towards Rose.

"Just down and curly, I suppose," Rose suggests.

"You're lucky you don't have your mum's hair…I heard it was quite hard to manage when she went to the Yule Ball with Victor Krum."

Rose turns in surprise, the pulsing blue light from Victorie following the swing of her hair.

"_Victor _Krum? Is that why Dad doesn't like the Bulgarian Quidditch team? Oh, mum…" she sighs.

"Your mother was a piece of work," Victoire chuckles. "Oh and…Lily. I've heard you're going to the ball with Brian Daniels. In our year…well he's known as quite intelligent, no doubt, but he's also got quite a bit of experience with girls. Watch out for yourself."

"Nothing I haven't heard before," Lily mumbles.

"Oh damn. We were supposed to meet the boys five minutes ago. Come on, let's go," Victoire chides, and she follows them out of their dormitory.  
"Oh, look – they're all in our common room…"

"Coincidence, is it, that all of us are Gryffindors," Lily rolls her eyes sarcastically, at the three boys huddled in a corner, away from all the frills and ribbons.

Heads turn at the three cousins, making their way towards the corner.

"Veela blood," Rose sighs, mock jealously. She approaches Scorpius, who suddenly looks bashful.

"You look beautiful," he offers, somewhat shyly, and Rose takes it.

"See you guys later," she smiles at the four, taking Scorpius's hand. Together, they make their way out of the common room. She passes James, who's standing next to Grace Parvati – the daughter of the Professor Parvati, alias Transfiguration Professor.

Jesus. James winks at her, and she laughs silently. Rose makes her way over to the Great Hall, Scorpius beside her. She smiles up at him, his black hair slicked back, his blue-grey eyes lightly searching her face. Her heart flutters, lightly, and she faces forwards.

The Great Hall domes magnificently, the ceiling like the night sky, glittering. Balloons in corners, ribbons draped all around. Bursts of color here and there – unmistakably magic-enhanced, yet still elegantly designed. Golden doors lead to balconies, fluttering curtains in the wind. Music plays loudly – though it's strange music, music no one's really heard before.

"What…strange music," Scorpius whispers into her ear, and she laughs, letting herself loose to the music. Lily and Brian join them, Brian's arm politely settled around Lily's shoulders.

"Where did Victoire and Teddy go off to?" Rose asks.

"Snogging," Lily laughs, "somewhere more private."

"Of course," Rose sighs. "Well, we'll leave you two be."

With that, she and Scorpius weave their way out of the Great Hall, finding one of the balconies.

Steps lead down towards the ground, the silvery moon cast against the lake, rosebushes fluttering in the slight breeze.

Scorpius sits in a chair overlooking the lake, and Rose curls up beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. He sets his hand softly on her neck, warm.

She remembers her promise, what she said she would do, what she said she would bring him. Regret wells up in her chest, regret and shame. But she knows, then, exactly what her decision is. Lord Voldemort had said that there was no returning – or death. But she would take the latter… for Scorpius.

She can feel his every breath, the rise and fall of his chest. She looks up at him, and he looks down at her. She can feel his heartbeat faster, faster. And beneath the pearly white moon, their lips brush against the other. Memory and love are strange things, and they can tell lies – but for a moment, there's nothing else in the world but the moon, the lake, and the both of them.

"How about a swim?" Rose suggests deviously,

"I was just about to suggest the same thing," Scorpius laughs, but falters. "Your dress…"

"It should be easy enough to fix. Plus, it won't get wet," Rose teases, slipping off her dress and tossing it onto the chair. She stands in the grass in her bra and underpants, shivering a bit from the wind.

Scorpius shakes his head, grinning, removing his jacket and his tie, until he's next to Rose in just his boxers.

"Jesus, look at us," he sighs, drawing Rose closer to him.

"Hey, I like swimming," Rose laughs defensively. They clasp hands, their toes curled over the edge of the dock stretching out a few feet into the lake.

And on the count of three, they jump – two silhouettes in the moonlight, two shadows in the reflection, two parts of a complete heart.


	12. Chapter 12 : Shadow

Rose and Scorpius emerge from the pond, sopping wet.

"Wish I knew a spell to dry this," Scopius mutter grumpily, as they pull their clothes back on, which stick tight to their wet skin.

"It's okay, we'll be back in no time. Let's just head back to the dorms." Rose suggests, and they slip through the balcony once more.

People are still dancing, sitting at tables, talking.

"Hey James," Rose calls, passing him. "Have you seen Lily?"

"Haven't seen her in a while, she's probably with Daniels," he calls back, and makes his way to where Rose and Scorpius are standing.

"I'll come back with you, I'm tired out."

"Where's Grace?" Rose asks.

"Went back to the dorm about twenty minutes ago. Easy tired, that girl is."

"Just back to the dorms, then. Want to hang out for a bit?" Rose offers both of them.

"Of course," both reply, as Rose opens the door to their dorm. Unsurprisingly, it's dark.

"Guess Lily's with Daniel's, then," Rose says, letting both of them in. Orbs of light fly towards the lights once the door opens, and the room floods with light.

Suddenly, a shadow emerges in the corner, and Rose steps back, to Scorpius's side, her heart pounding. All three draw their wands, pointing at the shadow. The shadow is small, hunched over.

"Wait," the shadow whispers, so softly it's almost impossible to hear the sound.

"Lily?" Rose gasps. And the shadow steps into the light.

Her hair is matted, falling out of its bun, leaves entangled in the intricate weave. Her dress is ripped, her skin soiled.

None of them speak, none of them move at all.

But even before Lily speaks, Rose knows. They all know.

"He…he raped me," Lily shudders, her wide, green eyes innocently filling with tears.

And as all three start towards her, Lily collapses, her body falling to the ground – and all hell breaks loose.


	13. Chapter 13 : Forget

Sorry for the long …hiatus on this story :] I was kind of out of ideas and sort of still am, pleaseee review with an idea or two? Merci beaucoup (:  
Anyway, I used Dumbledore&McGonagall at first, before remembering what generation this was, so sorry if I have errors. English _is _my native language, so sorry for random typos which, reading back, I have seen. (_Scopius_, I ask you…*sigh*)

**Two more reviews until a free one-shot :D**

* * *

Rose kneels by Lily's side, brushing her cousin's hair away from her eyes. James had left the dormitory as soon as Lily had fallen, and Scorpius ran after him.

"Oh, Lily," Rose whispers, tears pooling in her eyes. Agony is visible in Lily's face, even in unconsciousness, terror defining the fragile lines in Lily's face. Rose slips her own pillow underneath Lily's head, but she doesn't dare move her, doesn't want to wake her up. Consciousness must be twice as awful.

In a moment, Professor McGonagall storms into the room, her eyes ablaze, Professor Longbottom right behind her. He pulls Rose away, gently, and McGonagall leans over Lily silently.

"Expulsion," McGonagall says to herself, coldly. Gently, she pulls her wand from Lily's temple, a silvery white, pulsating string, and conjures a small glass vial. Siphoning it into the vial, she turns to Professor Longbottom.

"Neville, alert Harry and Ginny as soon as you can. Tell them that I'm going to put a memory charm on her, to forget this. I have her memory of the event, it won't do her any good to have to relive it when it can be avoided." She leans a bit closer. "_Obliviate._"

Lily jerks a bit, still limp on thick carpet. A tear slips down Rose's cheek, and another. She watches as Professor Longbottom exists, and Professor McGonagall conjures a stretcher into the air, and slowly begins to descend the steps of the dormitory, and Rose follows in their wake.

***

Lily wakes up, into five worried faces.

"Hi," she says. "What did I do this time?"

"Just an accident at the ball," Ginny hedges, cautiously. "We just came to make sure you were okay."

"Well, I feel fine," Lily says, fiercely, no questions asked, and swings her legs out of bed. "Damn, that hurts," she mutters, and no one asks her where. After a few muttered goodbyes and 'take care of yourselves,' Lily grabs Rose and pulls her into the Great Hall. Wisely, James and Albus slip by.

"Just tell me this, from a best friend," Lily tells Rose, seriously. "Tell me that he's gone. Tell me he's gone, and I'll never ask again."

Rose's eyes flash to meet Lily's, a question on the tip of her tongue. "He's gone," she manages, and then meets Lily's eyes again. "How…?"

Lily's hand clenches around Rose's, yet she turns away.

"Just because I can't remember it doesn't stop me from dreaming about it," she whispers, leaving Rose to wonder just how strong, exactly, her cousin is.


End file.
